Candidates to answer questions at hustings

A HUSTINGS for candidates standing in the Henley and Thame parliamentary constituency will be held on Monday, June 24.

The majority of the seven people seeking to succeed Conservative John Howell in the seat have agreed to take part in the event at Christ Church in Reading Road, Henley, from 7.30pm to 9pm.

They are Caroline Newton (Conservative), Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat), Jo Robb (Green), Nanda Manley-Browne (Labour), Peter Shields (Reform UK), Maryse Pomlett (Social Democrat Party) and David Carpin, who is standing as an independent.

Candidates will be given two minutes each to introduce themselves and explain their motivation for standing before answering questions from the floor.

The hustings have been organised by the Henley Standard in conjunction with Greener Henley and the church. Constituents who wish to attend should contact the Henley Standard to be added to the guest list. Those who are not listed will be refused entry. Christ Church has a capacity for 350 people.

Questions from the public should be submitted in advance to the Henley Standard and it is hoped those who do will attend to put them to the candidates.

Ms Newton, who lives in Britwell Salome with her husband Matthew and two daughters, was a South Oxfordshire district councillor from 2017 to 2023 and an Oxfordshire county councillor from 2012 to 2014.

She also chaired the South Oxfordshire Conservative Association and worked as a special advisor to then prime minister Boris Johnson for several months in 2022.

Mr van Mierlo, who lives in Henley with his wife and daughter, has been county councillor for Chalgrove and Watlington since 2021.

He also sits on the climate and ecological emergencies advisory committee on South Oxfordshire District Council, where he represents the Watlington ward.

Mr van Mierlo works as a consultant to companies, NGOs, foundations and patient groups on issues including access to healthcare and the environment.

Ms Robb, who lives in Shepherds Green with her husband and two sons, is a South Oxfordshire district councillor for the Woodcote and Rotherfield ward.

She is the council’s River Thames “champion” and encourages sustainability and access to the river as well as highlighting water quality concerns.

Ms Robb is also a member of the Henley Mermaids, a group of open-water swimmers which promotes the environment and campaigns against sewage dumping.

Ms Manley-Browne, a Lambeth councillor who formerly represented Brixton North in London, works in the NHS and is a school governor.

Mr Shields, who lives in the Didcot and Wantage constituency, stood for election to the district council in Didcot South in May last year but was unsuccessful.

He was named Reform UK’s parliamentary candidate after Mr Carpin was sacked by then party leader Richard Tice over “offensive” posts on social media. But he was proposed as a candidate for the election by Mr Carpin.

Ms Pomlett, who lives in South Oxfordshire, previously worked for the county council in adult social care, latterly as a commissioner where she reviewed and purchased services.

She stood in the county council elections in 2021 to represent the Benson and Cholsey ward but was unsuccessful.

Mr Carpin, an IT worker from Woodcote, stood for for Reform UK in Woodcote and Rotherfield ward on the district council last year but was unsuccessful.

To attend the event and submit a question to the candidates, call (01491) 419444 or email news@
henleystandard.co.uk